Automatic road-guide.



L. E. SMALL.

AUTOMATIC ROAD GUIDE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 13. 1914.

l q 1 92, 1 3 1 Patented July 25, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

L. E. SMALL.

AUTOMATIC ROAD GUIDE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. $8 1914.

1,1 92,1 31 Patented July 25, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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AUTOMATIC ROAD GUIDE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.18, 1914.

Patented July 25, 1916.

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AUTOMATIC ROAD-GUIDE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 25, 1916.

Application filed November 18, 1914. Serial No. 872,840.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LLOYD E. SMALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Reynolds, in the county of White, State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAutoinatic Road- Guides; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an automatic road guide.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of this character by means of which instructions may be automatically given to a vehicle operator during a specified trip so that instructions will be given to the operator at predetermined fractions of a mile.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the device that it will be automatically operated by the ordinary mileage instrument.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the device that a film on which instructions are printed at intervals will be maintained in view of the operator during the traversing of a predetermined distance, but which will be automatically moved to expose the next instructions when the said distance has been covered.

lVith these and other objects in view, such as will appear as the description progresses, my invention comprises the combination and arrangement of parts as set forth in and falling within the scope of the ap pended claims.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my device, showing the same operatively attached to a mileage instrument. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view. Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on a plane at right angles to Fig. 2. Fig. 1 is a fragmental detail of the tripping mechanism. Fig. 5 is a detail of the mechanism for moving the film cylinder. Fig. 6 is a detail of the film cylinder. Fig. 7 is a detail of one of the controlling cylinders. Fig. 8 is a sectional view showing the gearing for moving one of the controlling cylinders. Fig. 9 is a detail of the film, used. Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of the tripper levers and the mounting therefor.

Referring to the drawing wherein like parts are indicated by like characters throughout the several views :Before entering into a detail description of my deviceit may be well to here state the general operation of my device. I have provided a casing 1n which are mounted a plurality of rolls from one to the other of which a film is rolled. This film passes over and is actuated by a cylinder so that the film is moved at predetermined intervals, for instance, after the machine has traversed one tenth of a mile. These films are to be placed upon the rolls at the beginning of each trip and contain printed instructions for the par ticular trip.

The. reference character 10 indicates a rectangular casing which is divided into two compartmentsll and 12, the compartment 12 having a slot 13 in the front thereof over which extends a magnifying glass 14: so that as the film passes behind'this slot the glass will assist in making the instructions thereon clear. On the side walls 15 and 16 of the compartment 12 are located trunnions 17 and 18. Rotatably mounted on these trun- 1110118 is a cylinder 19 which entirely encircles the trunnion 16 and is mounted in a depressed portion 20 of the trunnion 18. Extending through the cylinder 19 and the trunnions 17 and 18 and rotatably mounted therein is a shaft 21 having a squared portion 22 and a round portion 23. On one end of this shaft 21 is a gear 2 1.

A casing 25 is provided which is attached to one end of the casing 10 and is adapted to be attached to the mileage instrument in dicated generally by the reference character 26. In this casing is provided a stub shaft 27 on one end of which is a gear 28 meslr ing with the gear 21 on the shaft 21, while on the other end of this shaft 27 is a gear 29 which is arranged to mesh with the gear 30 of the mileage instrument, the latter gear actuating the indicator to turn one-tenth of a mile.

On the squared portion 22 of the shaft 21 is fixedly mounted a cylinder 31 which is of lesser diameter than the inner diameter of the cylinder 19, while on the rounded portion 23 of the shaft 21 is loosely mounted a cylinder 32 of similar formation to the cylinder 31. Thus it will be seen that as the gear 2 1- is actuated the cylinder 31 will be turned therewith and in order that thecylinder 32 may be turned proportionately slower preferably in the ratio of one to ten to the cylinder 31, I have provided on the end of the shaft 21 a gear 33 which meshes with a gear 34 carried by the said cylinder of these rolls is a pulley 39 over which a belt 40 passes so thatthe rolls will be moved in synchronism in a. manner to be described.

The cylinder 19 is provided with a plurality of rows of holes 41 as shown in Fig. 6 a of the drawing, the said rows extending longitudinally of the cylinder and located ninety degrees apart. The cylinders 31 and 32 are each provided with a series of holes corresponding in number to the holes in each of the rows of the cylinder 19 and ex tending in a helical path completely around the cylinder. On the end of each of the cylinders 31 and 32 are located numbers 42 which indicate and correspond to the holes in the said cylinders, the holes adjacent the ends of the cylinders being designated by the characters one to ten as may be seen in Fig. 7 of the drawing.

Mounted on and encircling the trunnion 18 is a. collar 43 which extends over the end of the cylinder 19 and has a cut-out portion 44 equal to one-fourth of the length of its circumference. A pin 45 extends outwardly from the cylinder 19 and into the said cutout portion 44. A similar pin 46 is mounted on the collar 43 and is connected to the first mentioned pin by means of a coil spring 47 on the other end of this collar 43 is a gear 48 which extends through a slot 49 in the wall 50, which wall separates the compartments 11 and 12, and meshes with a gear 51 revolubly mounted on a stub shaft 52. This gear 51 is actuated by aspring 53. The col-.-

lar 43 has four slots 54 formed therein, which slots are separated by cross bars 55. In order that the actuation of the device may' be automatically controlled, I have provided a shaft 56 located in the chamber 12 above the cylinder 19. On this shaft is secured a hollow cylindrical member 57 having a plurality of cut-out portions 58 therein, which provide edges 59 on the said cylindrical member 57. These cut-out portions 58 are of a corresponding number to the holes 41 in each of the rows in the cylinder 19 and are located immediately above the members of said rows. VOn the shaft 56 in each of the cut-out portions 58 is loosely mounted a lever 59 which has a downwardly extending finger 60 adapted to enter the adjacent hole 41 in the cylinder 19. Secured to the upper end of these levers 59 are springs 61 which are secured to the forward side of the rear wall of the casing 10. On the end of the shaft 56 is secured rigidly a tripping member 62 which has a cam porand is connected at 69 to the top of the com- 7 partment 12. On the forward end of this member 62 is secured a rod 7 O which extends upwardly through the top of the device and is connected to a lever 71 which is operable as a knocker for a bell 72, said knocker being maintained in inoperative position by a coil spring 73.

Extending through one side wall of the casing 10 is a shaft 74 having a handle on the outer end thereof and a gear 75 on the inner end thereof, which gear meshes with the gear 48 so that after the film has been used it may be rewound manually in a manner to be described.

In operation a film such as illustrated in Fig. 9 of the drawing is wound upon the roll 37, carried over the cylinder 19and attached to the roll 36. This film as will be noted from Fig. 9 of the drawing has a plurality of holes therein which register with the holes 41 in the cylinder 19. Assuming that the film'is in starting position one of the holes therein registers with one of the holes 41 in the cylinder 19 and the said hole is located adjacent the inner end of the cylinder 31 inasmuch as the holes in the film 38 are arranged indefinite order with relation to the holes 41, from the left to right. At this time the spring 61 causes the'finger 60 of the proper lever 59 to extend through the hole in the film through the hole in the cylinder 19 and rest upon the surface of the cylinder 31. At this time a printed instruction is visible through the slot 13 in the front of the casing. As the vehicle advances the shaft 21 is rotated and the cylinder 31 likewise rotated. lVhen the parts are in these relative positions, the locking pawl 65 is in its locked position against one of the bars 55 and the tripping member 62 lies out of the slots 54 and the spring 47 is not extended. As the cylinder 31 rotates, the first hole from the left thereof comes beneath the hole in the cylinder 19 through which the finger 60 extends and this finger imme diately drops into the said hole inthe cylinder 31 and at the same time the tripping member 62 drops into one of the slots 5 1 because of the fact that the finger 60 contacts with the edge 59 of the adjacent cutout portion 58 and the member 57, shaft 56 and tripping member 62 are thus operated against the tension of the spring 68. It is understoodthat the spring 61 is of greater strength than the spring 68 and thus permits this operation. At the same time the locking pawl 65 is drawn out of engagement with the bar 55. Immediately upon the finger 60 dropping into the hole in the cylinder 31 the cam 63 on the member 62 engages the neXt adjacent bar 55 and thus the finger 60 is withdrawn from the hole in the cylinder 31 and further withdrawn from the hole in the cylinder 19 and the film. As soon as the pawl 65 is disengaged from the bar 55, the spring 53 operates to turn the collar 13 until the said pawl 65 is pushed downwardly again by the cam 63 and engages the next adjacent bar 55. At this time the film is stationary, the finger 60 still extending through the hole in the same and through the cylinder 19, the motion being allowed between the cylinder 19 and the collar 43 by virtue of the resilient connection by means of the spring 417 between the same, the spring extending; and when the pin reaches the end of the slot 44 in the said collar 13 the action of the cam 63 in lowering the pawl 65 into the path of movement of the bars raises the finger out of engagement with the film and the spring at6 rotates the cylinder 19 one-fourth of a revolution, at which time the next adjacent finger 60 drops through a hole in the film and through one hole in the cylinder 19 and the operation is repeated. Thus the cylinder 31 operates to turn the film over one-tenth of a mile. After one mile has been covered. however, one of the fingers above the cylinder 32 operates in a similar manner inasmuch as the cylinder 32 has at this time made onetenth of one revolution.

Immediately in advance of the turning of the film, that is, upon the downward movement of the cam portion 63 of the member 62. the knocker 71 is operated to strike the bell 72 so that the operator will be notified of the turning of the film. It is of course to be understood that the holes in the film 38 bear a definite relation to the holes 11 in the cylinder 19 and that the holes in the cylinders 31 and 32 bear a definite relation to the'holes in the cylinder 19 so that the fingers 60 may drop through the holes in the film, the holes in the cylinder 19 and into the holes in the cvlinders 31 and 32.

lVhen it is desirable to rewind the film after a trip has been completed the knocker 71 is gripped and pulled upwardly until the fingers 60 disengage the film, at which time the handle on the end of the shaft 74 is gripped and the film rewound upon the roll 37. Simultaneously with the rewinding of this film the spring 53 is rewound and when the knocker 71 is released the device is re- '10 with a suitable door so that the film may be taken out and replaced by a different film.

In connection with the cylinders 31 and 32, it is to be understood that the cylinder 31. makes ten revolutions to every revolution of the cylinder 32. Thus when the cylinder 31 has made a complete revolution the first finger from the left of the cylinder 32 will drop into the cylinder and maintain the same in position until the cylinder 31 again begins to operate 011 its second revolution at which time the finger will be Withdrawn from the cylinder 32 and the operation will continue as before.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have provided a road guide which will consist of an automatically operated film on which instructions to the operator are printed, and I have provided means for actuating the said film after a predetermined distance has been traversed by the vehicle to which the device is attached.

l/Vhile I have illustrated and described a particular embodiment of my invention, I have merely done so for the sake of convenience and I do not wish to be limited to that particular embodiment as it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the details of construction thereof without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention or without exceeding the scope of the appended cliams.

I claim 1. An automatic road guide comprising a casing, a shaft rotatably mounted in said casing and adapted to be connected to a mileage instrument and rotated thereby during the advance of a vehicle, a cylinder fixedly mounted on said shaft, and a cylinder rotatably mounted thereon, a cylinder rotatably mounted in the said casing and encircling the two first mentioned cylinders, a film passing over the said last mentioned cylinder and means cooperating with the first mentioned cylinder to arrest the movement of the film at predetermined intervals, and means cooperating with the second mentioned cylinder to arrest the film at predetermined intervals.

2. An automatic road guide comprising a rotatably mounted cylinder, a film passing over said cylinder, and having holes therein, the said cylinder having holes registering with the holes in the said film, a plurality of cylinders rotatably mounted within and movable with relation to the first mentioned cylinder, said last mentioned cylinders having holes therein, a plurality of fingers adapted to successively pass through the holes in the film and the first mentioned cylinder to lock the cylinder against rotation and to drop into the hole in the last mentioned cylinders to permit the rotation of the first ,mentioned cylinder and means for causing such rotation.

3. In an automatic road guide, the combination with a cylinder havinga helical series of holes thereof, a plurality of fingers mounted above the cylinder, resilient means tending to move said fingers into said holes, a cylinder mounted Within the first mentloned cylinder and movable relative thereto and having a helical series of holes therein'through which the fingers are adapted to extend and means for retracting the fingers immediately after their movement into the holes in the last mentioned cylinder.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature, inthe presence of tWo Witnesses.

LLOYD E. SMALL. Witnesses:

JOHN SMALL, A. E. JEssERAND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

